Xu Kecheng:

I have not studied melanoma specifically, but this tumor is closely related to immunity. Many studies use melanoma as a clinical immunotherapy model. In 2008, I read a long article in the New England Journal of Medicine, which reported that a case of metastatic melanoma was treated with autologous CD4 T cells, achieving significant clinical remission and surviving for 2 years. In Shanghai, a similar patient was successfully treated with combined immunotherapy, but the effect was better. In 1991, there was a patient in Shanghai X X People's Hospital, Mr. Tang, who suffered from ethmoid sinus melanoma. During the surgical exploration, it was found that the black neoplasm was as large as 7 cm, extending to other structures of the left nasal cavity, accompanied by a large amount of local bone destruction. Therefore, only part of the tumor was removed during the operation. Radiotherapy was performed after the operation, but it was ineffective. Later, he received combined immunotherapy treatment for more than 2 years. I asked a friend doctor in the hospital for help, and found the patient's 1991 admission record, operation record and 2004 hospitalization record from the medical history room of this hospital, which confirmed that the patient had survived for 13 years without progression.

Member:

My second brother had melanoma in his right eye 2 years ago, which was surgically removed. In the past 8 months, multiple metastases have appeared in both lungs. He used to work in the United States and is said to have received many treatments. Now the metastasis has spread to the adrenal glands and abdominal cavity. He can't come today, so he asked me to ask Professor Xu if there is any way to treat it?

The first page of Mr. Tang's medical records at Shanghai XX People's Hospital. From left to right are the admission record on November 30, 1991, the surgery record, and the hospitalization record in January 2004

Li Dinggang:

Malignant melanoma, in the movie "If You Are the One 2", the actor Sun Honglei's Li Xiangshan said "This disease is the only thing the world can do about it", which has made it considered the "most malignant" type of cancer. Former US President Carter began using PD-1 inhibitors in August 2015 because of liver and brain metastases from melanoma. Four months later, an MRI examination announced that no visible tumors were found, so the anti-PD-1 drug was once called "President Carter's drug." In fact, it is not "cured" because the media recently reported that Carter's liver metastasis has recurred. The case Professor Xu just showed lived for 13 years after combined immunotherapy, and the treatment effect is comparable to the "Carter miracle drug". This is very encouraging.

"The Great Doctor's Sincerity" by Xu Kecheng

——Written by Yuan Jinquan, 2023, Jiangsu People's Publishing House

　　(To be continued)